NOTD - ORLY ANDROGYNIE NAIL POLISH

ORLY ANDROGYNIE nail lacquer was part of the Orly Winter 2011 Holiday Soiree collection. It is a midnight black polish with multicolored flecks of glitter and shimmer in blues, greens, oranges, yellows, etc. When applying the polish it is best to first apply a black base and then the polish. Although it isn't necessary it does help to enhance the overall glitter / shimmer effect. I had read online somewhere that if you store the glitter / shimmer polishes upside down then you can get more of the glitter / shimmer on your nails. I might try that in the future but for this post I made sure to really swirl the applicator brush in the polish and I had no problem getting lots of glitter and shimmer onto my nails.


The quality of this brand is amazing! On average, I typically get a good week's worth of wear time with minimal chipping or peeling. By week two there is some minor chipping at the tips but overall the polish still looks great. You can find Orly polishes at most salons but visit Orly.com for a complete listing to find the location closest to you. I found this polish discounted at my local Sally Beauty Supply store. I paid $3.99 USD for .6 fl oz. It currently retails from around $5.99 - $9.99 on e-bay although you might get lucky, like I did, and find it discounted at your local Sally store.

NOTD - ORLY: Royal Velvet

At first glance Orly's Royal Velvet is a shimmery dark purple polish. Take a second look and its now a very intense dark blue velvet color. That is the effect of duochrome polishes; they change colors in different lighting almost as if the nailpolish was a mood ring for the nails.

Orly's Royal Velvet polish is from Orly's Spring 2011 collection and I found it at Sally's in the clearance section for about $3.00. Considering Orly polishes retail for around $8.00, I would consider this to be a great savings.

ORLY: WINTER WONDERLAND

Lately I have been all about the glitter, I just can't get enough of it. So even though this polish debuted last year I still love it and I had to have it. I think I get blinded by all the glitter so I just start snatching up polishes left and right.

This polish has been described as looking almost like crushed ice on the nails, and I must agree. It is a beautiful shiny white with micro flecks of varying colors of glitter that intensifies the white shine when reflected by the light. I tried taking pics so that I could share the beauty of this polish, but, as with most glitter polishes, the camera truly doesn't capture its uniqueness. 

Keep in mind that this polish is very versatile. It can be worn on top of another polish to give it a frosted finish with a hint of sparkle. Or you can wear it alone and just layer the heck out of it so that it doesn't show up as sheer as some have described it.

The polish is currently available in stores at Sally Beauty Supply and retails for: $5.99.

ORLY: HAPPY GO LUCKY BACK TO SCHOOL COLLECTION - JULY 2011

This year's Orly Back to School collection features bright bold neon shades that scream fresh, fun and flirty! When I saw these polishes I just knew I had to have them. The edgy colors are wild and carefree that draw on the thrill-seeking sensibility of youth!

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Happy Go Lucky Collection are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin.

Availability: From July 2011
Where: Orly, Beauty.com, Sally Beauty, and Ulta.
Price: $7.50

When using these polishes a base coat is not really necessary because the polishes really adhere to the nail. You will need to take care though when applying the polish because the formula is rather thick and tends to glob on the nail and it does tend to streak a little as well. I brushed a thin layer of a top coat when I used these polishes because they have a spongy quality to them that will smudge if one is not used. Overall the quality is pretty amazing and the colors are more vibrant on the nail than in the bottle! A definite "must have" for any nail polish collection.

(L-R) FRESH, FLIRTY, FRISKY, FROLIC